Electric switch



Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFME ELECTRIC SWITCH Application March 1, 1940, Serial No. 321,636

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the construction of electric switches of the hand operated oscillatory connector type which are more especially adapted for controlling meter, relay, signal and similar electrical instrument circuits.

lThe object of the invention is to provide a switch for such uses which is comprised of a minimum number of cheaply produced and easily assembled and connected elements of ample electrical capacity and which is so compact that it will, although meeting the accepted standard requirements of conductor spacings, occupy a smaller space when mounted, either singly or in groups, on a switch board or panel, than the switches generally used in corresponding situations.

The object of the invention is attained by attaching to an insulating base, with the minimum limit of spacing, a pair of conducting terminal boxes provided with screws for securing the terminals of the circuit wires in the boxes, and pivoting to one box a channel shaped connector that may be oscillated into or out of engagement with the other box, the connector being of such shape and so mounted that when the circuit is closed it will tightly embrace and enclose the boxes, said boxes having two functions-one for enclosing and securing the circuit terminals and the other providing extended surface contacts for the connector.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shows a side view of a closed switch that embodies the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the closed switch.

Fig. 3 is an end View of the closed switch.

Fig. 4 is aside View of the switch opened.

Fig. 5 is a, top View of the opened switch.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the opened switch.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the closed switch on plane indicated by line 'l-l on Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the closed switch on plane indicated by line 8-8 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is aperspective view of the connector provided with ahandle and having an outer coating of insulation.

The base l of the switch may be made of any desirable insulating material and of a size suitable for the number and capacity of switches to be mounted thereon, one switch only being i1- lustrated and described herein.

Rectangular tubular boxes 2 of conducting material are secured at the required distance apart to the front face of the base by screws 3 which extend from the back through the base and are tapped into the bottom of the boxes. Screws 4 are threaded through the tops of the boxes for binding the terminals of any circuit wires or cables that may be inserted into the boxes.

The oscillatory element for connecting and disconnecting the terminal boxes is stamped from conducting material in the shape of a channel 5the length of which is substantially the distance from the outer end of one terminal box to the outer end of the other terminal box and the internal width of which is such as to closely iit the sides of the terminal boxes. One of the boxes has holes in its sides and the side walls of the channel are struck into these holes as indicated at 6 in Fig. 8, for pivoting the channel to that box. The location of the pivots and relation of the parts is such that when the switch is closed the swinging end of the channel encloses the box and covers the binding screw at that end, and at the pivoted end the channel practically encloses the box at that end and desirably so covers the binding screw of that box that the screw cannot be conveniently turned for securing or freeing the terminal of a circuit wire with the switch closed. With this design circuit terminals cannot be attached or released unless the switch is opened.

If desired the exterior surface of the connector may be covered with a layer of insulating material 'I as shown in Fig. 9 and then the conducting connector and terminal boxes which the connector encloses are so insulated when the switch is closed that a plurality of switchesI may be arranged close together, and as the boxes have the double function of contacts and circuit terminal attaching means, and there are no lugs or lingers projecting from terminals, as is the common construction, the switches may be mounted on a relatively small base or panel. The sides of the channel at the swinging end may be roughened as at 8 or the channel may be provided with a handle 9 to facilitate opening and closing the switch.

The conception illustrated and described permits the rapid and cheap production of small, compact, well protected switches of relatively large capacity that are safe and easily wired.

The invention claimed is:

1. An electric switch comprising an insulating base, boxes of conducting material spaced apart on the base, said boxes being rectangular in transverse section and having aligned openings for receiving circuit terminals, means extending through the base and engaging the bottom walls of said boxes for securing them in position, means extending through the top walls of said boxes for securing circuit terminals therein, a channel shaped member of conducting material adapted to connect said boxes said channel member being of a length which is substantially the distance between the `outer ends of said boxes and having an internal Width which isl the same as the external Width of said boxes, means pivoting the side Walls at one end of said channel member to the outside walls of one box in such relation that when the side Walls at the free end of said channel member are in engagement with the outside walls of the other box, the boxes and the termi'- nal securing means are covered by and are within the walls `of channel member, and insulating material applied to and covering the outside surfaces of said channel member.

2. An electric switch comprising an insulating base, boxes of conducting material spaced apart on the base, said boxesI being rectangular in transverse section and having aligned openings for receiving circuit terminals, means engagingl soi said channel member in close engagement with the outside walls of one box in such relation that when the side walls at the free end of said channel member are in close engagement with the outside walls' of the other box, the boxes and the terminal securing means are covered by and are Within the Walls of the channel member.

3. An electric switch comprising an insulating base, a pair of boxes of conducting material spaced apart on the base, said boxes being rectangular in transverse section and having openings for receiving circuit terminals, the exterior surfaces of the side walls of at least one box being recessed, screws extending through the top walls of said boxes for securing circuit terminals therein, a channel-shaped connecting member of conducting material With its side Walls near one .end indented into the recess in the side walls of one box and adapted to have its side walls engaged with and disengaged from the side walls of the other box, said channel member being of such length and having such width that When the conducting channel member is in engagement With and connects said boxes, the boxes and the circuit terminal securing screws in the tops of the boxes are covered by and enclosed within the Walls of the channel member, and the switch conducting members are no long-er and no Wider than the pivoted channel shaped member.

HENRY J. BLAKESLEE. 

